Humane Society Silicon Valley Sends Two Puppies to Compete in Puppy Bowl XX
Frankie and Niner will represent HSSV and the Bay Area in the annual Puppy Bowl, Airing on Feb. 11 at 11am PST
Milpitas, CA, January 30, 2024 - When a litter of four small terrier mix puppies arrived at Humane Society Silicon Valley (HSSV) from Madera County Animal Services in the Central Valley (CA), there was no way of knowing that two of the four puppies were headed for national fame. While two puppies found their forever homes immediately, the other two (brother Niner and sister Frankie) were chosen to go “toe to tail” with other rescue dogs during the upcoming Puppy Bowl XX, which airs Sunday, Feb. 11 at 11 am PST, on Animal Planet, Discovery, TBS, truTV, MAX, and discovery+.
The annual competition features more than a hundred puppies from animal rescue organizations nationwide in a rollicking competition to raise awareness about the importance of adopting pets from shelters and rescues. “We are honored to participate in this year’s Puppy Bowl and excited to send two puppies to the big game,”’ says Humane Society Silicon Valley President Kurt Krukenberg. “This competition is heartwarming and fun and plays a crucial role in highlighting the importance of adoption. We are grateful to the 49ers for their partnership and commitment to getting Niner and Frankie ready for the big game.”
HSSV has a long-term partnership with the 2024 NFC Champions (and Super Bowl-bound) San Francisco 49ers, including team members participating in “puppy therapy” just days before their most recent game. Frankie and Niner were also invited to spend the day getting in some practice time with the team at the SAP Performance Facility. They received pointers from players Demetrius Flannigan-Fowles and Clelin Ferrell, and Oren Burks and Curtis Robinson served as Niner and Frankie’s coaches. They even received encouragement from the 49ers’ emotional support dog Zoe. While it was a spirited competition to see which sibling would be chosen to represent HSSV and the Bay Area at the Puppy Bowl, in the end, both were selected to compete!
“Niner and Frankie brought determination and great energy into their training with the team, and we think they will fit right in at the Puppy Bowl,” said Saya Lindsay, San Francisco 49ers Senior Manager of Community Relations. “We are so excited to see Niner and Frankie represent the Bay Area during Puppy Bowl XX while raising awareness for the great work of Humane Society Silicon Valley.”
With the training complete and both puppies selected for the competition, they headed to New York (with their human companions) to participate in the three-hour special event, where they represented Team Ruff and competed against Team Fluff for the coveted “Lombarky” trophy. During the show, Niner and Frankie will also be featured in one of five “Pup Close and Personal” segments, documenting their day spent with the San Francisco 49ers.
Although Niner and Frankie have already been adopted into loving homes, many animals in shelters across the state and country are waiting to be adopted. Through the Sue and John Diekman Regional Rescue Program, animals are transferred to HSSV from partner shelters struggling with the high number of animals in their facilities. This creates a second chance for these pets to find forever homes and simultaneously enables partner shelters to use their limited resources to help other animals in need. Since HSSV began this program more than a decade ago, it has expanded to 22 shelter partners across California, and in 2023 alone, more than 3,100 vulnerable animals were transferred into HSSV to free up space and resources for these shelters. “Through the Diekman Regional Rescue Program, we expand the reach of our lifesaving work into less populated areas with fewer resources to help homeless pets,” says Humane Society Silicon Valley President Kurt Krukenberg. “This creates a win for HSSV, a win for our partners across California, and a win for every animal who finds a loving family.”
In honor of the Puppy Bowl and the 49ers, Humane Society Silicon Valley is running a $49 promotion on select dogs now through Feb. 11. “Frankie and Niner’s Friends” can be found on the HSSV website and will also have signage on their kennels at HSSV, identifying them as part of the promotion. Please visit the official HSSV Puppy Bowl website for more details about the Puppy Bowl and all adoptable animals.
Puppy Bowl XX will air on Animal Planet, Discovery, TBS, truTV, MAX, and discovery+ at 11 am PST on Sunday, Feb 11.
Editor’s Note: The HSSV puppies, Niner and Frankie (and their families), are available for media appearances and interviews via Zoom between now and the Puppy Bowl. Other HSSV representatives, including HSSV President Kurt Krukenberg, are available for in-person and Zoom interviews.
About Humane Society Silicon Valley
The mission of Humane Society Silicon Valley (HSSV) is to save lives, keep families together, and create a better future for pets and their people. Established in 1929, HSSV has adopted more than 500,000 animals into permanent, loving homes. In 2017, the Peter Detkin and Michelle Oates Detkin Animal Community Center became the first model shelter to meet the 547 guidelines set forth by the Association of Shelter Veterinarians. HSSV is a privately funded, 501(c)(3) non-profit serving the Santa Clara County community and beyond. As an independent organization, HSSV is not affiliated with the Humane Society of the United States, ASPCA, or state and federal government entities. For more information, visit HSSV.org.